job creation is essential to reducing the deficit. we firmly believe if you want to reduce the deficit, create jobs. you can grow the economy and reduce the deficit. it's all together. and that is attested to by every bipartisan task force, commission, you name it, that has come together. you can't get there from here in terms of deficit reduction and fiscal soundness without having revenues be on the table. i'd like to yield to the assistant leader for his comments. >> thank you, madame leader. i think that this meeting was very, very fruitful. it simply reminds us -- >> we are listening to commentary after nancy pelosi's meeting with timothy geithner. as you heard, ms. pelosi continuing to stick to her guns in terms of raising revenue as well as spending cuts. we don't have the clarity this market is looking for. that is, where will the cuts be? where will the revenue be? we're still waiting on compromise. as soon as we get some indication of that compromise, we'll bring it to you. maybe there's hope, meanwhile, for the twinkie. hos